Armadillo Removal in Acworth, GA

Armadillo damage in Acworth yards

Armadillos are more common in Georgia every year, and Acworth's lake neighborhoods suit them well. An armadillo spends the day in a burrow in brushy, wooded cover, like the public shoreline land along Lake Allatoona, and comes out at night to dig for grubs, earthworms and insects. The damp, soft soil near the water keeps that food close to the surface. Many Acworth lawns run straight up to those woods, so the armadillo doesn't have far to go to find good digging.

The result is a lawn full of cone-shaped holes, mulch scattered across the walk, and beds dug up overnight. Some homeowners say it looks like hogs went through. Sometimes there's also a burrow opening under a deck, shed or AC pad. Most people try mothballs or a repellent first, and it does nothing. What works is putting a trap in the right spot. Here's how a Cobb County pro handles it.

Why armadillos favor yards near the lake woods

An armadillo needs two things close together: cover to sleep in and soft soil to dig. A lot next to the wooded Corps shoreline has both. The armadillo sleeps in the brush, comes out after dark, and starts digging at the edge of the lawn. That's why the damage usually starts along the back of the yard and spreads toward the house. After a rain, when the soil is softer and worms come up, the digging tends to get worse.

Lawn holes vs. burrows

The holes in the lawn look bad but they're cosmetic, and grass grows back. Burrows are the bigger concern. Armadillos like to dig under decks, sheds, AC pads, driveways and slabs, and over time a tunnel can wash out the soil under them. If you see an opening about the size of a football next to a structure, have it checked. A burrow next to the foundation is a much bigger problem than holes in the lawn.

What doesn't work

Repellents, mothballs, castor-oil granules, predator urine and ultrasonic stakes don't keep an armadillo away. It digs by instinct and just moves to the next soft spot. Mothballs shouldn't be used for any wildlife problem. Trying to bait an armadillo doesn't work either, because there's nothing it will reliably go after. And don't put down a grub treatment. With fewer grubs to find, the armadillo digs more of the lawn looking for what's left, and the damage gets worse.

Trapping on the run

Since an armadillo can't be baited, catching one depends entirely on where the trap goes. Our crew uses pre-set wooden box traps and put them on the armadillo's runs, the paths it takes between its burrow and where it feeds, often with boards or fencing to steer it into the trap. Around Acworth, those runs usually follow the edge of the woods or a fence line. Reading the signs and finding the run is the skill you're paying for.

Closing the burrow afterward

After the armadillo is caught, the burrow has to be dealt with or another one will move in. The pro checks that nothing else is inside, then closes off the space under the deck, shed or slab with buried wire barrier that a new armadillo can't dig through. Georgia has no legal restrictions on trapping armadillos, but where the trap goes and how the burrow is closed still decide whether the fix lasts.

What you can do in the meantime

Note where the new holes show up each morning and where any burrow openings are. That helps the pro find the run faster. Keep the grass short and clear the brush along the back of the yard so there's less cover close to the house. Skip the grub treatments and store-bought repellents. They'll cost you money and time and leave the lawn worse off.